James 1:21 Part 1—Spirit, soul, and body
Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. James 1:21
The first time I heard a teaching related to this verse I thought I was hearing false doctrine because I didn’t understand that I was a three-part being.
A preacher I had grown to trust said something like this: “As a Christian, your soul is not automatically saved. Your soul is only saved through reception and application of the Word of God.”
He’s wrong, God! I’m saved—what does he mean my soul’s not saved? But due to my respect for him and everything else I’d heard him say, I decided to put his teaching about this verse on the shelf until God made it clear to me one way or the other. That’s what you need to do with teachings you aren’t sure about—put them on the shelf and let the Holy Spirit sort them out for you later through the Word.
Over time—not immediately, mind you—I started realizing that, similar to God being a triune being, humans had three parts as well. Two Scriptures brought this understanding home to me.
The first verse that caught my eye was 1 Thessalonians 5:23. “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (emphasis added).
… spirit and soul and body… When I read this, I realized that I was not just a soul (or a spirit) and a body. Before that, I had used the terms “soul” and “spirit” interchangeably and thought they were synonymous, much like the words “groundhog” and “woodchuck”. But here, at least, the Bible put soul and spirit into two separate categories. Hmmm, I thought, if my soul and spirit aren’t the same thing, then could it be that the preacher was right and my soul might not be saved yet? To tell the truth, that thought bothered me, but it got me thinking—I am spirit, soul, and body, not just soul and body!
The second verse that made it even clearer to me about the distinction between soul and spirit was Hebrews 4:12. “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (emphasis added). My soul and spirit were indeed two different entities, and they could be separated by the Word of God.
The Greek word for “spirit” is pneuma (which is also used in the term “Holy Spirit”). On the other hand, the word for “soul” is psyche and is the base from which the English words “psychology” and “psychiatry” are derived. Both parts—soul and spirit—are unseen; both dwell within the body; both are said to be involved with the inner workings of a man. According to one source, pneuma (spirit) means “the rational spirit, the power by which the human being feels, thinks, decides” (see http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G4151&t=KJV ), and psyche (soul) means “the seat of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions (our heart, soul etc.)” (see http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G5590&t=KJV ). As you can see, these two—spirit and soul—are closely related; however, it is my contention that it is your spirit who receives Christ; it is your spirit that is born of God; and it is your spirit that becomes a new creation. Your soul, “the seat of your feelings, desires, affections and aversions” is also eternal; James says that it is by receiving the Word implanted that you—a Christian who is already saved—are able to save your soul.
My original problem with this verse was this: Why does a Christian need to save his soul? When I started viewing James 1:21 in light of the three-part nature of man, it began to make more sense to me. This is how I view the nature of man now:
- I am a spirit—once dead in sin, but now by virtue of faith in Jesus, I am a new creature in Christ, made righteous and clean before God.
- I have a soul—feelings, emotions, memories, thought processes, desires, tastes, inclinations, dislikes, and a will.
- I live in a body—as long as I live on the earth, I will live in a flesh and blood body.
James said “in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.” He said this to believers—new creatures in Christ. Tomorrow we will look at this verse more closely in reference to James’ earlier statements about temptation and the sin/lust connection.
Until then,
Dorothy
Read MoreJames 1:19-20—Three behaviors for dealing with anger
So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. James 1:19-20 (NKJV)
Anger. It’s probably one of the first feelings you have when hit by any sort of trial. You may be all by yourself when the trial crops up; no one else may be involved at all, but you feel angry. That’s why you need to look at James 1:19-20 with an eye to two scenarios: dealing with anger that flares up toward others and dealing with the sense of upset that arises over things. Either one, when allowed to fester or explode out of control, can destroy the course of your life.
Anger felt needs to be anger dealt with.
Although anger is one of the most destructive forces within the heart of man, the Bible doesn’t blanketly call it sin. Ephesians 4:26 says, “Be angry without sinning. Don’t go to bed angry” (GOD’S WORD Translation). In other words, feeling anger is not wrong; letting it flash into unthinking rage is. Anger felt needs to be anger dealt with. Take care of the anger within you before you go to bed; don’t let your fury simmer on the back burner as you close your eyes for the night. When you retain your anger and offense, you probably find it hard to sleep. Dealing with anger appropriately will bring you great relief. If you don’t, Ephesians 4:27 paints a bleak picture: the devil will gain a foothold in your life.
Anger builds walls in relationships. It is natural to shun someone who has lapsed into anger; it is also just as natural to isolate yourself after yielding to a fit of rage. Anger can divide, frustrate, shame, undermine peace, and cause turmoil. That’s why it is good to read James’ first words in verse 19: “So then, my beloved brethren.” You may have burst into anger at a very inappropriate time; your anger may be out of control; but you are beloved. With this foundation—that you are loved by God—it’s time to consider the method James reveals for dealing with your anger.
He identifies three behaviors that will empower you to gain control over your anger. If you are perpetually geared toward rage, these three directives from James—when practiced over time—will start to dismantle the walls that your fury has erected and will bring peace both to your life and the lives of those you with whom you interact.
The force of unrestrained anger is like a flooding river—once it overflows the banks of your self-control, it will create havoc wherever it is released. The effect of out-of-control anger on the person who yields to it is also similar to some of the effects of alcohol on a binge drinker. Alcohol lowers the inhibitions that normally operate in an individual; anger also lowers your inhibitions. While under the influence of liquor, you don’t care what anyone thinks; while under the influence of fury, your only care is to “let ‘er rip”. And yet after a “drunk” or a fit of rage, the sober truth hits home: you were an idiot, your reputation has been compromised, and you may have hurt others profoundly.
Behavior number one: Be swift to hear.
Anger is typically explosive, unpredictable, loud, disruptive, and swift. The antidote James prescribes for rage is to be enacted with even greater speed than the flare up itself. What did he advise? Be swift to hear. The NIV says it this way: be quick to listen. One of the best ways to prepare yourself to deal with anger effectively is to take note of your listening manner. Do you listen to others or are you thinking about the next thing you want to say? If you prioritize your own part of the conversation over the other person’s, you will probably frustrate them, and unless they are willing to cut you a lot of slack, it’s a safe bet to say that conflict will arise.
Habitual non-listening paves the way for habitual anger.
Habitual non-listening paves the way for habitual anger. If you have developed the habit of speaking first, completely devaluing what the other person has to say, you have likely reaped loads and loads of bad results in your life. You may find that you are often left out or overlooked. Things may not seem to ever work out for you. If this is you, check your listening style! You may be surprised to learn that at the bottom of your mess is chronic slowness in hearing and quickness in speaking.
The same goes for your relationship with God. If you are quick to listen to Him, you will be much less inclined to fly off the handle in rage or self-pity when encountering a trial.
When I was relatively new to teaching at the middle school level, one of my classes was ripe with attitude. As they prepared to exit the room for lunch, their disregard for rules and civility got the better of me. Irate beyond reason, I reached to slam the classroom door shut and give them a “come to Jesus” talking to. Just before I grabbed that door, however, the Holy Spirit said, “Look!” I did, and what I saw knocked the wind out of me. A girl in line, ready for lunch, was grasping the hinged side of the door, her fingers holding on between the door and the jamb.
I gasped. In a flash I realized If I yield to my anger and slam that door, she’ll lose her fingers! and the fury instantly vanished. God had intervened with His still small voice, and both the girl and I were delivered. I shudder to think about what would have happened if I hadn’t been swift to hear the redirecting voice of God!
If you practice listening to God when you feel anger rising, it will spare both you and others a lot of pain and grief. And believe me; the disaster you avoid by resisting the luxury of indulged rage is priceless beyond measure.
Behavior number 2: Be slow to speak.
If you practice “swiftness in listening”, both to God and others, “slowness to speak and to wrath” will be far easier to achieve. You want to be heard; so does everyone else. Can you trust God that He will give you the opportunity to speak if you obey Him first with your listening? Being slow to speak is one way to “do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3). Allowing others to be heard is a key way to show that you value them. If you’re always talking, then you’re not listening, and they’re not being valued!
Behavior number 3: Be slow to wrath
In order to practice being slow to wrath, you’ll need to begin by concentrating on the first two behaviors—listening more and speaking less. In other words, don’t try to tackle anger by trying not to be angry! Most unnecessary conflicts will be headed off at the pass if you simply practice listening before speaking. Anger often arises in relationships when you don’t feel heard. Speaking more than listening opens the door to greater opportunities to get mad—the more you talk, the less others want to listen; and the less they listen, the madder you become!
James’ remedy is quite simple yet very profound. Be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. It is so simple that you can practice it wherever you go. Just listen to those around you and then speak in response. You’ll be amazed at how quickly longstanding tensions will start to fade away.
You can even practice this all by yourself. Next time something goes wrong, don’t spout off in anger; don’t kick the wall or slam the door; just listen to that still small voice of the Holy Spirit within you. He’ll show you what to do. This way, you’ll avoid the messes that rage can create.
Last of all, remember this: the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. As righteous as your indignation feels, wait. Listen. Let the Holy Spirit speak. He will, and then as you obey His leading, you will be a true vessel of God’s righteousness.
You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!
Dorothy
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention. Proverbs 15:18
Read MoreJames 1:18—First fruits
In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures. James 1:18
After establishing pure doctrine concerning God, His person, and the truth about trials and temptations, James sums up his thoughts by stating why God chose to intervene in human lives in the first place.
The apostle explained that God entered the earth through His Son to establish a kind of first fruits among His creatures. In other words, it was His desire to do something wonderful and brand new in the lives of anyone willing to receive His Son.
In the exercise of His will…
God deliberately and intentionally planned to deliver you from the dominion of darkness and to translate you into the kingdom of His dear Son (see Colossians 1:13). He left no stone unturned when He embarked upon this intricately detailed special ops mission to rescue you. Before time began, He strategized and prepared this plan. All through the ages leading up to Christ, through the entire earth life of His Son and His agonizing death and triumphant resurrection, and then on throughout the rest of history, the Father watched over and worked His plan—extending it even into your life. And He did it because He wanted to rescue you—since way back before the foundation of the earth.
He brought us forth…
The new, never-before-seen thing that God inaugurated on the earth was to prepare the way for men and women, boys and girls—born with the fallen nature of the human species—to be made entirely new creatures through faith in Christ. The King James Version says that He “begat” us. This is absolutely accurate, because the Greek word used here, apokyeō, means “from the womb” or “to give birth to” (see <http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G616&t=KJV>). Therefore, God executed His plan by paving the way for new birth to take place within the spirits of already-living human beings. This was radical, out-of-the-box thinking. No other religion or philosophy on earth has ever been able to claim the same.
Even Nicodemus, a spiritual leader in Israel, could not fathom what Jesus was saying. He asked the Lord, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” (See John 3:4.) Jesus adamantly replied, “‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again’” (John 3:5-7). Jesus knew His purpose was to fulfill God’s determined purpose to “beget” sons and daughters for Himself through the raw material of human lives rescued from sin through faith in Christ.
… by the word of truth…
It is by the Word of truth that you are born again. Jesus is the Word (see John 1:14). He is also the Truth (see John 14:6). As you profess your faith in Christ and receive Him as your Lord, you are begotten of the Father by the Word of truth, and you become a brand new creature. Mission accomplished.
…so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.
God’s heart and purpose was to create from among men and women a kind of first fruits. You are among His first fruits if you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. What does this mean about you as a new creature? According to the Blue Letter Bible online, the term “first fruits” is “used of persons consecrated to God for all time” (see <http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G536&t=KJV>). Matthew Henry wrote of the first fruits, “We [are] God’s portion and treasure, and a more peculiar property to him” (see <http://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/Jam/Jam_001.cfm>).
God’s express purpose from the beginning of time was to bring you to saving faith in Christ and to make you a new person, born again by the Word of truth. As a result, if you have received Jesus as Lord, you are “consecrated to God for all time” and are His “portion and treasure and a…peculiar property” of the Living God. That’s you!
Praise God for this unique new life He has given us!
Dorothy
…He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. (2 Corinthians 5:15)
Read MoreJames 1:17—Good and perfect gifts are from God
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. James 1:17
Three great big truths about God are packed into James 1:17. They are:
- God gives good and perfect gifts.
- God is the Father of lights.
- With God there is no variation or shifting shadow.
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above…
Just before this important truth, James wrote, “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren” (James 1:16). He obviously felt that it was necessary to warn his brethren that what he was saying could be twisted or undermined by those who did not rightly divide the Word of truth.
He openly stated without apology that good things and perfect gifts come from God. How could such a clear doctrine be twisted? One method is to twist the word “good”. Have you ever heard someone say that cancer was good because God used it to teach something? How about a person who lost a loved one being told to view the death as good—God needed “another angel”? Could cancer or untimely death truly be good or perfect gifts?
One of the first sermons I heard as a young believer stated boldly, “God is a good God; the devil is a bad devil. Good means good; bad means bad.” I learned then that John 10:10 is an excellent standard—even in church—by which to measure information categorizing what is good or bad. This Scripture says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” Is something in your life stealing, killing, or destroying? Then it is from the devil—do not be deceived. When you hear that a bad thing is good, beware—something’s not right. Just because it’s taught by an “authority” doesn’t make it so. Dive into the Word and pray; the Lord will bring discernment. I have had to stop listening to different individuals who pushed a warped perspective of good and bad.
…coming down from the Father of lights…
Last week I told you about a counterfeit twenty dollar bill that came into the church when I was on the offering team. I thought something was wrong with it, so I looked at it closely. I felt it. I smelled it. I still couldn’t tell squat about it. But when I held it up to the light, the truth was revealed—the bill was counterfeit. Likewise, when counterfeit “truths” are brought before the Light, they are quickly exposed.
James wrote that God is the Father of lights. His Son Jesus is the Light of the world (see John 8:12). His Word is a lamp to your feet and a light to your path (see Psalm 119:105). Therefore, truth and light are in Him alone—not in philosophy, spiritualism, or the multitude of religions that cling to a form of godliness but deny the power. Do not be deceived—there is no other Way, Truth, or Life outside of the One who has come down from the Father of lights. It is His light that reveals the true nature of all things—including every good thing and every perfect gift.
…with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.
Have you ever heard someone say, “You never know what God’s going to do”? Perhaps you can’t guess the details of how He will work, but you can bet your bottom dollar that He will not violate His Word—ever. With God, there is no variation. Yes, God is limitless in depth, and He is multifaceted beyond our ability to imagine, yet He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. He doesn’t change His ways or His Word to keep up with the times or to fit in with a progressive generation. His standards are timeless, applying to all mankind, forever.
In the Father of lights there are no…shifting shadows. Here on earth, shadows appear wherever there is light, but with the Father of lights there are no shadows. Why is that? Shadows occur when light is blocked by another object, creating a darkened area. In the Father, no light blockers can be found; He Himself is the light, and in Him there is no darkness (see 1 John 1:5). Not only that, but shifts are created by changes in position. We change position; people and objects around us change positions, but the Father never does. He will not shift in any degree, nor does He need to. He is everywhere present, always bringing light to anyone wise enough, humble enough, or desperate enough to seek. And to everyone who seeks, He will be found (see Matthew 7:8).
Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren:
- God gives good and perfect gifts.
- He is the Father of lights.
- With Him there is no variation or shifting shadow.
And He will remain this way forever and ever.
Dorothy
Read MoreJames 1:16—Do not be deceived
Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. James 1:16
I once read that Abraham Lincoln said, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” According to James, the responsibility to see to it that you’re not deceived belongs to you and to you alone.
Eve told the Lord, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate” (see Genesis 3:13), obviously blaming the devil for tricking her and causing her to sin. However, God did not buy into her assertion that she was clear of blame. He held her accountable despite the fact that she had been deceived; you can read about her consequences in Genesis 3.
God is a bottom line God, and the bottom line is this: Each one of us is accountable for what we believe and don’t believe. If you hear twisted, distorted information or teaching, you are responsible to discern truth from error. You don’t have to fend for yourself in this, however; the Holy Spirit continually prompts and directs you into all the truth (see John 16:13), and the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart (see Hebrews 4:12). Judge everything—even the “good stuff” you hear—by the Word. On top of all that, Jesus said this: “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life” (see John 8:12). When you pursue Jesus with all your heart, He leads you away from the darkness of error and into the light of His truth.
Because of the indwelling Holy Spirit, the Word of God, and Jesus Himself, you are armed and dangerous to the deceptions that abound. When you put first things first, you more clearly see through the lies intended to deceive you.
Several years ago I was counting the offering at church and noticed a twenty dollar bill that seemed odd. It was the right shape, size, color, and had the correct design and mug shot of Andrew Jackson. But something just wasn’t right. I felt the bill, scrutinized it, smelled it, and put it up to the light. And then I knew—I was holding a counterfeit! We called in an associate pastor, and he called in one of the local police officers on security duty for the church, and sure enough—we had received a counterfeit twenty dollar bill. When the officer asked me how I knew it was a fake, I smiled and said, “I’m very familiar with the real!”
What does it take to spot a counterfeit in the spiritual realm? Just be very familiar with the real—the Word of God, the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and maintaining an authentic relationship with the Light of the world, Jesus Christ!
Two big truths about God
When James wrote, do not be deceived, however, he sandwiched this warning between two great big truths about God. This indicates that we must maintain a particularly high truth quotient in reference to what we believe about the Father.
Belief #1: God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He ever tempt you. Do not be deceived. When you are tempted, it is due to your own lust. You can’t pin it on God; you can’t even pin it on the devil and say God let him do it. As long as you are blaming temptation on God—or on God letting the devil tempt you so He can test you—you will never overcome.
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. (James 1:17)
Belief #2:
Hold fast to these truths about the Father:
- God gives good and perfect gifts.
- God is the Father of lights.
- With God there is no variation or shifting shadow.
When you major on these truths about the Father and the way He operates, deception will have difficulty finding a foothold in your heart.
More to come next week on James 1:17 and those big thoughts about God.
Don’t be deceived!
Dorothy
“And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Acts 20:32)
Read MoreJames 1:14-15 Part 2—The lust/sin connection
But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. James 1:14-15
Every bit of Scripture is designed to instruct and encourage you. The phrase “each one is tempted” reveals that the sin dilemma you face in your life is something everyone else has to deal with, too. Temptation hits each one of us, and therefore, when you are tempted, you’re not in a class by yourself. That alone ought to give you some relief.
First Thessalonians 5:23 reveals the three-part anatomy of a human being. “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (emphasis added).
I am a new creation; on December 29, 1974, I became a new creature in Christ. My spirit underwent both death and resurrection. That which died was my “old man”—or the old me (see Romans 6:6, Ephesians 4:22, and Colossians 3:9)—that which was resurrected was my new, recreated spirit man. My spirit is clean and whole and has been so since the night I was saved. It will remain so throughout my life. Thank God, my sin nature is gone.
That said, I woke up on the morning of December 30, 1974, with the same old soul and body. The power of God had intervened the night before and eradicated alcoholism from my body and mind; but besides that, the rest of my personality, memories, will, emotions, habits, and flesh stayed the same. But I—my spirit man—was brand new, nonetheless.
Since your soul and body are not made new when you receive Jesus as Lord, this causes conflict with your recreated spirit. Paul said, “…work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (see Philippians 2:12). He knew, as did James, that the reality of who we are in Christ needs to “be worked out” into the soul and the body. In fact, this conflict between spirit and soul is a huge portion of the “consider it all joy” trials we encounter in life!
But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
Your soul and body arrive on the scene with their own unique assortment of tastes, preferences, inclinations, and desires. You sowed into those things in the past, and by doing so, you developed habits and patterns, some of which violated the will of God. But when you were born again, you were cleansed of all of it. However, many of the habits and patterns remained behind, planted in your memory, mind, emotions, and body. These are the things James refers to as your own lust. Unfortunately, each of us has a set of our own lust imprinted on our soul and flesh due to our unique personal make up and life experiences.
The lust for life is a zealous attitude toward living—a positive thing; on the other hand, the lust James speaks of is an “uncontrolled or illicit sexual desire or appetite” or an “overmastering desire or craving” (dictionary.com).
Therefore, lust is often—but not restricted to—sexual desires that are off limits to you due to your particular status in life. A single person—according to the Word of God—is to remain abstinent until he or she marries; a married person is to satisfy their sexual longing with the partner to whom they are married (as specified in the Bible, someone of the opposite sex). If you align yourself with a biblical worldview, you recognize that God has designed this to apply to each one; we sin when we stray out of the bounds He has set.
When you feel an “uncontrolled or illicit desire”, that is your own lust. Don’t be alarmed; James says each one of us deals with these things, yet sin has not been conceived. The objective here is to stop lust in its tracks—whatever it may be—and to overcome it before it conceives.
Here’s the anatomy of the lust/sin connection.
- You feel an illicit desire within you—lust.
- You are enticed and drawn to it.
NOTE A: If you weren’t enticed by the desire, it wouldn’t be lust. Your own lust is something that uniquely attracts or lures you.
NOTE B: At this point, when you are aware of the pull toward your own lust, take note of it and mark it in your mind as something that can trip you up, and then stand guard against the next step in the lust/sin connection.
- You get carried away by the enticement of your own lust.
NOTE C: Being carried away is something you have control over. This stage occurs in your mind, not merely in your body. What happens is this: You start to allow your mind to “go there”, and as it does, you get carried along with it, hence the term, carried away.
NOTE D: If you don’t want to get carried away, break the train of thought. Read or speak the Word of God. Worship. Pray. Jump around and dance. Call a trusted friend or accountability partner.
- You are tempted when you are enticed by your own lust and get carried away by it in your mind.
NOTE E: The good news is that temptation is not yet sin. However, if you want to live an overcoming life in this moment of temptation, now is the time you must act on the Word. You cannot wait any longer without giving in to the temptation. Remember, you are an overcomer, not the overcome.
Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
- Lust conceives, I believe, in the mind.
NOTE F: Feeling lust is not sin; being enticed by it is not yet sin; flirting with the enticement in your mind is being carried away and you are almost to the point of no return; but lust finally conceives when your will steps in and says “Go for it.” In other words, every conception requires two parties. In this case, your lust, originating from your body—the flesh—unites with your will—in your soul—and conceives. Lust does not conceive until your will forms a union of agreement with it.
NOTE G: Second Corinthians 10:5 warns you to take every thought captive. Once the thought grows to an imagination or a stronghold, it is much more difficult to arrest. You can train yourself by the Word and the Spirit of God to take those thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ before they grow into imaginations or strongholds. Again, you are an overcomer, not the overcome.
NOTE H: If you turn off the “monitor” within you (your conscience) that says “don’t go there”, then you will no longer be able to resist. And that was your own choice—neither the devil nor your genetics made you do it. Be honest and talk to God about that if this has been your experience. He knows how to help you to redirect a rebellious, disobedient, or lazy will.
- Conceived lust gives birth to sin. You carry out the action that violates your conscience and the Word of God.
- One way or another, once it is accomplished, sin produces death. This death can be physical or within your soul.
NOTE I: How many Christians carry a load of guilt due to disobedience which slowly kills off every bit of joy and happiness in their lives? If you recognize yourself in this description, you can be forgiven and freed from the oppression of your shame. Jesus bore even that on the cross; accept His forgiveness and cleansing, and seek God for the grace to walk free from here on out. He gladly provides you with it.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that lust equals sin. Learn to recognize your own lust when it crops up so that you can thwart it by the Word and the Holy Spirit before it takes over. And know that the grace to overcome all of it has already been deposited within you by the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Dorothy
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